Pneumatic threaded remover for looms



July 16, 1968 G. S.SIMMONS, JR 3,392,758

PNEUMATIC THREADED REMOVER FOR LOOMS Filed Sept. 27, 1966 ii' )lklmmmwmm INVENTOR GEORGE S. SIMMONS JR.

AT TORNEY United States Patent Office 7 3,392,758 Patented July 16, 19683,392,758 PNEUMATIC THREADED REMOVER FOR LOOMS George 5. Simmons, Jr.,Worcester, Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Corporation, WorcesterMass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Sept. 27, 1966, Ser. No.582,416 3 Claims. (Cl. 139-256) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Anelastomeric pneumatic filling pickup nozzle for a loom; the nozzlehaving a hook for engaging the filling and a longitudinal reinforcingrib located on the outside of the nozzle. The dimensions of the hook andrib diminish towards the point of the hook to cam a filling engaged bythe hook into the opening'of'thenozzle and to prevent the filling frombeing caught thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in thread removers for looms, andmore particularly for the thread left by the outgoing bobbin at the timeof transfer.

The invention is especially adapted for use in a form of pneumaticthread remover mechanism which is moved from a normally idle position toa filling pick-up position at the time of transfer. Removers of thistype usually con-- sist of an elongated tube which is connected to anozzle having an intake mouth designed in such a way as to facilitatepicking up of a weft thread. The elongated tube and nozzle are supportedby a carrier which isconnected to mechanism for movement from neutral topick-up positions. Subatmospheric pressure is created in an elongatedtube which pneumatically communicates with the nozzle to createsubatmosp'heric pressure at the intake mouth.

One of the problems encountered with removers of this type is that theyare frequently subjected to conditions which may cause damage to thenozzle. One such condition is where the shuttle does not get far enoughinto the shuttle box or rebounds therefrom at the time of a weft pick-upoperation. When this happens, the nozzle may strike the shuttle and bebroken or bent, or the intake mouth may become damaged so as to alterits efiiciency. Damage is also likely to occur due to a maladjustment ofthe parts which move the remover mechanism from neutral to pick-upposition thereby causing it to strike the box. This maladjustment mayoccur during normal operation. Furthermore, a flying shuttle may strikethe nozzle also causing damage.

Prior art solutions to these problems have been in the direction ofproviding yieldable means' between the thread remover mechanism and themechanism which moves it into position. While these solutions areeffective to prevent severe damage to the nozzle, they depend on thenozzle striking a solid object to overcome the yieldable means therebydamaging the nozzle and particularly the intake mouth. After a time, thearea around the intake mouth becomes peened over or dented so thateither it loses its effectiveness or a weft thread is likely to getsnagged on the rough edges of the dents.

Therefore, it is an important object of the invention to overcome 'thesedisadvantages by the provision of a thread remover nozzle which is madeof an elastomeric material, e.g., natural or synthetic rubber,polyethylene or polyurethene or similar materials so that the nozzlewill maintain its shape for efiicient thread pick-up and yet be able toyield when striking a solid object and return to its normal shapewithout becoming damaged.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a detachable fillingpick-up nozzle which'can be attached to one end of a tubular extensionof a thread remover carrier.

Other objects and the details of the invention will be clear from thefollowing description and claims taken with the accompanying drawings inwhich is illustrated examples of devices embodying the presentinvention.

In the drawings: v

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation. of one form of weft replenishing mechanismon a loom and having the invention applied thereto, the lay, shuttlebox, and part of the loom frame being shown in cross section;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged elevation of the weft pick-up nozzle incombination with the tubular extension;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view of the nozzle taken on line 33,FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevation of thenozzle showing the weft intakemouth with filling caught there- FIGURE 5 is ,a front elevation of thenozzle shown in FIGURE 1;.

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view of the thread remover mechanism shown inFIGURE 1 at the end of a filling pick-up operation showing in dottedlines the position of the nozzle as it strikes a misplaced shuttle;

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic view of the thread remover mechanism as itstrikes the back of the shuttle box;

FIGURE 8 is a bottom plan view of the weft pick-up nozzle;

FIGURE 9 is a side elevation of the weft pick-up nozzle;

Referring to FIGURE 1, the loom frame 10 has mounted thereon a support12, for the magazine M. The support 12 also carries a transfer stud 14on which a transfer arm 16 is provided. This arm is of usualconstruction and has'extending laterally therefrom an operating stud 1-8which overhangs a finger 20 forming part of a carrier designatedgenerally at C. This carrier is mounted for angular motion on the stud14 and a friction plate 22 is held against it by a flat spring 24engaging a nut 26 on the stud 14. The spring and washer hold the flatportion 28 of carrier C against a hub 30 forming part of support 12 asdescribed in more detail in US. Patent No. 2,566,839.

The lay L is provided with a shuttle box B carrying a shuttle S whichwill be replenished by a bobbin from the magazine on a weft replenishingbeat of the loom. The lay L has a hunter 32 which engages a transferlatch 34 normally in the down position shown in FIGURE 1. By means notset forth herein, but well understood by those skilled in the art, thislatch will be raised into the path of the advancing bunter 32 as the laymoves toward front center position on a weft replenishing beat of theloom and it is in this manner that the transfer arm 16 is moved in acounterclockwise direction around stud 14, FIGURE 1, to perform itsbobbin transferring operation.

As the transfer arm descends, its stud 18 engages the finger 20 to rockthe carrier C from the normal pick-up position shown in FIGURE 1 to apick-up position, such as shown for instance, in FIGURE 7. At a latertime, a rod 36 rises to engage a wing 33 on the carrier C to restore thelatter to its normal position after the transfer arm has returned to itsnormal raised position.

It is to be understood that the type of replenishing mechanism shown inFIGURE 1 is set forth merely for the purpose of illustrating theinvention and that the matter to be described hereinafter is not limitedin its use to the form of magazine M or the type of thread removercarrier C.

There is provided a pneumatic thread remover mechanism designatedgenerally at 35 and includes the carrier C, an elongated pneumatic tube39 which leads to a source of subatmospheric pressure and a fillingpick-up nozzle Carrier C includes a rigid elongated member 42 to v therear end of which is s'e'c'ured'a thread'deflector or bafide plate 44fastened to a tubular extension 46 one end of which is connected to thetube 39 and the other end to nozzle 40 as shown in FIGURE 1. I

In thepresent invention; nozzle 40 is made of an elastomeric material ofa composition which enables the nozzle to hold its shape and yet bedeformable with the application of outside pressure and to further beable to return to its original shape when the pressure is removed.Nozzle 40 can be made of any material which will give the nozzle thesequalities such as certain compositionsof natural or synthetic rubber,polyethylene or polyurethane. It has been found that nozzles molded frompolyurethane have given good results. V I i Referring to FIGURES 3 and'5, nozzle 40 hasan attaching end generally indicated by'thereference'nume'ral 37 and a thread pickup end generally indicated by thereference character 41. The upper attaching end 37 of nozzle 40 has areduced cylindrical portion 48 which fits snugly into tubular extension46. Because of thedeformable nature of nozzle 40, portion 48 can beforcedinto extension 46 and will hold itself in place without the needfor mechanical fasteners. Nozzle 40 has an elongated body portion 43beginning at cylindrical portion 48 where it is substantially circularin cross section and gradually changing to a flattened tubular crosssection terminating in an elongated opening 45. A triangular shaped hook47 projects from one side of opening 45, extending outwardly and bendingacross the opening for the purpose of guiding a weft thread into saidopening during a thread pick-up operation. Nozzle 40 is also providedwith a rib 49 which extends along the outside of the nozzle to providestability to the nozzle in the direction in which the nozzle moves toand from weft pickup position and yet still allow the nozzle to bendwhen a solid object is struck. The rib also increases in thickness asthe body portion 43 increases in flatness to create a condition ofuniform stability along the body portion 43. Rib 49 also serves twoother functions. One of the other functions is to maintain the nozzle incorrect alignment relative to tubular extensions 46. This isaccomplished by extending the rib into the reduced portion 48 to form aprojecting tongue 50 which fits into a matching groove 51 in tubularextension 46. The other end of rib 49 extends down to the end of hook 47at a diminishing thickness from a point above opening 45 until there isvirtually no thickness to the rib near the end of hook 47. This serves asecond additional function by assisting hook 47 to cam a loop of threaddrawn about the hook into opening 45. This is a condition which islikely to occur during a weft pick-up operation. Very often when thesection of thread to be picked up is cut, the twist in the thread causesit to form a loop 52 and wrap itself around the end of the nozzle asshown in FIGURES 8 and 9, while the free ends of the cut thread aredrawn up into the tubular body of the nozzle. The taper of hook 47 andrib 49 together with continuing suction through the nozzle causes theloop 52 to be cammed toward opening 45. This is possible because thetapered edges of hook 47 and rib 49 cause the loop 52 to assume aconstantly diminishing size in the direction in which the thread isbeing pulled into the nozzle by the suction forces.

thread. It is to be understood that the thread has previously been cutin known manner from the shuttle at a point adjacent to the delivery eye(not shown) of the shuttle S and is therefore. free to respond topneumatic attraction. 1 r

tA revo ker arm, an example of which is .Sh'ownat 59 is ordinarilyemployedto detect whether-or not the shuttle is properly positioned forbobbin transfer on replenishing beats of the loom. If the shuttle iszinproper position, transfer proceeds in ordinaryrnanner but if the shuttleis misplaced and strikes the revoker arm as the lay advances, the latch34 moves down out of the path of the hunter 32. If for some reasontherevo'ker fails to function properly .Or is disconnected by the weaverwho may prefer to run the loom without it, the transfer-arm will descendwhile a misplaced shuttle is protruding from theshuttle box and isdirectly'under nozzle40. When this has occurred while using prior: artnozzles, damage has resulted either to the shuttle or thread remover, orto both.

In addition to the actual striking of the weft pick-up nozzle on amisplaced shuttle, further damage is likely to occur. When the laystarts 'to' 'move toward back-center position; if the tip of the nozzleis caught on the top of the shuttle, it will be bent out of shape, asshown in dotted lines in FIGURE 6. The improved elastomeric nozzle ofthe invention will be. bent as shown in FIGURE 6, but will then returnto its normal shape as shown in full lines in that figure.

Another condition tending to damage the nozzle, is a faulty adjustmentin the thread remover mechanism with the result that the nozzle maystrike the back 64 of the shuttle box B as shown in FIGURE 7. The usualspring yielding means such as that shown at 60 will prevent seriousdamage to the parts involved when a maladjustment occurs but there maystill be some damage to the nozzle hook 47. After repeated blows thehook becomes peened over thereby losing some of its effectiveness. In

Normally the parts will be in the position shown in x FIGURE 1 with thethread remover mechanism 35 in its raised or non-pick-up position. Whenthe transfer arm descends, its stud 18 engages wing 20 and rocks carrierC in a counter-clockwise direction, thereby lowering nozzle 40. If theshuttle is properly placed, nozzle 40 will 7 i T to be removed extendsacross the plush 57. As the lay recedes subsequent to transfer, thethread is moved toward the hook and intake mouth 45, at which timesubaddition to the peening over of the hook 47, it is likely to incurdents which could be detrimental to the thread pick-up, as the thread islikely to get caught on the rough edges of the dents. The nozzle of thepresent invention will be temporarily distorted when striking the back64 of the shuttle box B, but will then return to its normal shape afterthe lay L moves back to the left as viewed in FIG- URE 7 without damageto the nozzle or the shuttle box.

As will be evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects andapplications of my invention are not limited to the particular detailsof construction, of the example illustrated and I contemplate thatvarious other applications of the invention will occur to those skilledin the art.

What I claim and desire to be secured by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates. is:

1. In a pneumatic thread remover mechanism for looms, supported for amovement to and from a weft pickup positionincident to a replenishingoperation, having a tubularv member in which subatmospheric pressureexists, the improvement comprising: a filling pick-up nozzle of anelastomeric material secured to one end of said tubular member, saidnozzle comprising:

(a) a cylindrical portion connected to said tubular member;

(b) an elongated body portion extending from a circular cross section atsaid cylindrical portion and gradually changing to a flattened tubularcrossvsection and terminating in an elongated opening;

(c) a substantially triangular shaped hook portion extending from oneside of said opening, bending across said opening; and

(d) a rib located on the flattened side of said elongated body portionfrom which said hook extends, said rib increasing in thickness wheresaid body portion increases in flatness and said rib further extendingalong the outside edge of said hook portion, diminishing in thicknessfrom a point near where said hook extends from said elongated bodyportion above said opening until there is substantially no thickness atthe point of said hook, whereby said rib provides uniform stability ofsaid elongated body portion and the portion of said rib extending alongthe outside of said hook assists the hook in camming off loops of yarndrawn about said hook into said opening. 2. The thread remover mechanismas described in claim 1 wherein said tubular member and said fillingpick-up nozzle have a complementary tongue and groove connection attheir attaching ends, whereby the nozzle will be held in correctalignment relative to said tubular member.

6 3. The thread remover mechanism as described in claim 2 wherein saidtongue is an extension of said rib and which fits into a complementarygroove in said tubular member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,204,455 6/ 1940 Turner 139256.12,580,191 12/1951 Peterson 139256.1 2,965,138 12/1960 Cederlund 139256.1

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

I. KEE CHI, Assistant Examiner.

